SMN adjustments....seriously?

[Dreamin]

Got some information from the development team that they would like to hear feedback on.

Regarding “reduced elemental MP cost,” we decided to implement this given that we’re planning on adjusting elementals in the future, as we mentioned previously.

At first, we were considering changing “reduced elemental MP cost” to a totally different effect, “reduced summoning casting time,” so the possibility exists that we change it to this.

However, please note that we wouldn’t use “reduced elemental MP cost” if we switch to “reduced summoning casting time” and that we will need some time to implement this change.

Please let us know your feedback on this.

Then how about giving us some ideas (roadmap would be nice) as to what changes you guys are thinking for the Spirits? As long as these spirits has no controllable methods on what they cast and also getting the higher level nukes, they're useless (IMO).

Once we know what plan of changes to the spirits will be, we'll have a better understandings and can provide much better feedback. As it stand alone without knowing how these spirits changes will be, reducing elemental mp cost is essentially useless to majority of SMN players.

[Zubis]

I'd be happy with all effort that is going into elemental adjustments being moved to other aspects of the job instead; "reduced summoning casting time" is much more preferable than MP cost.

Dreamin's right though, it's dependent on what adjustments are being made to elementals. If it's just adding more spells, then no, it's not worth keeping "reduced elemental MP cost" around. However if elementals are undergoing the same overhaul that Puppetmaster automatons did, then maybe it is worth keeping around.

[SpankWustler]

Got some information from the development team that they would like to hear feedback on.

Regarding “reduced elemental MP cost,” we decided to implement this given that we’re planning on adjusting elementals in the future, as we mentioned previously.

At first, we were considering changing “reduced elemental MP cost” to a totally different effect, “reduced summoning casting time,” so the possibility exists that we change it to this.

However, please note that we wouldn’t use “reduced elemental MP cost” if we switch to “reduced summoning casting time” and that we will need some time to implement this change.

Please let us know your feedback on this.

It's almost impossible to say which would be better without knowing how spirits will be changed in the future.

As Spirits are now, it would be more useful to reduce the casting time. It would still be pretty pointless, but at least it's not currently possible to cap casting time reduction with other stuff already.

[Dallas]

My vote is to change the merit to casting time, as long as SE addresses the following issue:

Whenever the SMN uses the assault command, or the retreat command, the casting timer resets. This makes it impossible to use spirits offensively which is awful considering only the dark spirit is defensive. Remove this penalty, and then the timer will mean something. Only with this change will any mp cost be justified.

If this penalty must remain, the spirits should simply be free.

[Dallas]

While we're at it, spirits should be able to nuke a target mob without engaging it.

[Sonshou]

I have to see what change is going to implement on the elemental spirits before I can decide which one is better.

If, through seems not likely to happen, the change is to increase the degree of control over the elemental spirits, then I say go ahead on elemental spirit cost.

If the change is only regarding the spell list and elemental behavior, then I say reduce cast time is more useful.

[Sargent]

At first, we were considering changing “reduced elemental MP cost” to a totally different effect, “reduced summoning casting time,” so the possibility exists that we change it to this.

However, please note that we wouldn’t use “reduced elemental MP cost” if we switch to “reduced summoning casting time” and that we will need some time to implement this change.

Please let us know your feedback on this.

I would love to merit that.

However, I would not merit it over Avatar Attack/MAB, so yea...

Whenever the SMN uses the assault command, or the retreat command, the casting timer resets. This makes it impossible to use spirits offensively which is awful considering only the dark spirit is defensive. Remove this penalty, and then the timer will mean something. Only with this change will any mp cost be justified.

While we're in a position where the devs might read this... Can you also increase the range in which Summoner's command their avatar (i.e. Assault, Blood Pact) to that of casting magic? The majority of the time I die during Voidwatch is due to being within AoE range (but at the max range for commanding my avatar).

[Alhanelem]

Frankly I'd love the idea of reduced casting time.

Let it be known that perpetuation costs are not much of an issue anymore. Nobody needs to merit the perp cost of spirits down even if they want to use them.

[Saiken253]

I have another suggestion for SMN as well that hasn't been addressed: Have us commanding our pets to Assault NOT break Invisible. BST's ability Sic doesn't break Invisible and if you go into lore they would have to point and say what to attack, so Sic should break Sneak AND Invisible.

SMN's ability Assault is done telepathically: I.E. There's no need to verbal or visual aid(which the monsters BSTs control would require) for the Avatars, seeing as their minds are linked with ours.

[Dohati]

would the reduced summon casting time apply to all avatars? or just spirits? either way that sounds pretty lame. anything soloable for smn shouldnt make it to you before you can possibly recast an avatar. as for spirit perp, i wouldn't ever merit that either unless spirits start getting a lot better, although perp-15 for anything is pretty darn sweet.